It’s for real. Julie Bass IS facing jail for growing veggies.
Here is a video interview with Oak Park City Planner Kevin Rulkowski:
http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/oakland_county/oak-park-battles-city-over-vegetable-garden-in-their-front-yard
He is trying to make it look like Julie is the one at fault by choosing a jury trial. He didn’t mention the alternative to the jury trial, having to accept a possibly corrupt judge’s verdict. The jury trial is the way to go.
Of course the jury INSTRUCTIONS are extremely important.

The definition of “suitable” will be crucial.
I looked it up at Marriam Webster:

Definition of SUITABLE

1
obsolete : similar, matching
2
a : adapted to a use or purpose <suitable for kitchen use> b : satisfying propriety : proper <suitable dress> c : able, qualified <a suitable candidate for the job>
— suit·abil·i·ty noun
— suit·able·ness noun
— suit·ably adverb

Examples of SUITABLE

  1. The dress was a suitable choice.
  2. We upgraded the computer to make it suitable to our needs.

First Known Use of SUITABLE

1581

Related to SUITABLE

Rulkowski seems to be using the OBSOLETE definition of “similar” and “matching.”
Obviously, nothing is more “suitable” for a front yard than healthy veggies. Julie’s veggies aren’t just “able, capable, equal, fit, good, qualified, competent” — veggies are a superior use of front yard space. It is most important that people put veggies in their front yards to create awareness and to encourage their neighbors to also grow healthy food.
Rulkowski needs to get fired as he simply does not have the mental abilities required for his current position.
He is completely removed from reality, a clueless Hitler era bureaucrat used to having his orders followed and sending anyone questioning his orders off to jail.
We need people in executive government positions with the ability to recognize problems and to implement solutions. Rulkowski might want to become a janitor where he could hopefully be a more productive member of society and actually do something useful.
FACTS:

  • Over 44 million people in America are on food stamps.
  • American unemployment is at the official understated 9.2%, with real unemployment closer to 20%.
  • MOST food in American supermarkets is detrimental to human health and ultimately results in illness and death.

And in my opinion, Julie’s veggie garden is BEAUTIFUL.
Yesterday a reader posted a link to Julie’s petition and I signed it right away:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/oak-park-hates-veggies/
Julie’s blog:
http://oakparkhatesveggies.wordpress.com/
Please go to Julie’s blog directly and check the links in the right column with the current status, things YOU can do to help (such as contacting city officials) and related news.
We have been working on starting a community center with a community garden up by the paved road.
We were offered a very sweet lease (6 months free in exchange for painting the property) on a remodeled real estate office (almost 800 sq ft) to sell arts and crafts and with an acre of chain link fenced land PERFECT for the organic community garden and all kinds of arts and crafts classes. We were going to have Saturday sales and offer table space to artists and crafters as well as anyone with goods they no longer needed.
Then I spent two hours at the county and found out that the property would require a variance or rezoning for retail inside and rezoning for ANY outside sales.
Keep in mind that we are in the middle of the desert, 60 miles from the zoning department, doctors, hospitals, supermarkets, etc. Not only would a variance or rezoning involve costs for county fees and mailings to surrounding property owners, but the building would also have to be brought up to current codes. Most likely a new septic system and electric upgrades would be required for any available existing building.
When someone opened a small coffee roasting business (he primarily sold on Ebay and delivered to local retailers), he was faced with $2,500 in daily fines if he continued to operate his little coffee roaster prior to spending about $25,000 for a new septic and other improvements. It IS perfectly legal for him to rent the place as a residence (grandfathered in). It makes NO sense. You can have several people LIVING there full time, showering and doing laundry with the EXISTING septic.
The county also requires PARKING to be on dust free surfaces (essentially paving) for businesses, but they don’t even bother to maintain any of our roads. They do whatever they can to make people dependent on food stamps and welfare and currently the third McDonald’s is under construction in Kingman.
Speaking of which, one lady at the county was outraged over a resident’s complaint about cutbacks in services and she proudly proclaimed that she was always able to find work and that she would be flipping burgers if necessary. I asked her how that would pay her bills and she responded that she would live within her means. The baby would get flushed down the toilet? I suppose there’s always adoption, give the kids away if you can’t afford them.
On the bright side, another county lady was very supportive of our community garden and we might end up renting a vacant lot. Of course it will cost a small fortune to fence it and then we’ll still have to do the rezoning so we can have sales. Nothing’s ever easy, but it IS most important to get an ORGANIC garden to the paved road and to create some awareness. After all, we all pay for the medical problems resulting from the horrible food most people eat.
If you’re local and interested in our project, please check http://lakemeadcommunitycenter.org/ for updates. One of our key people is currently traveling and we’ll be looking for property once she’s back in August. In the meantime we’re working on our new hoophouse, just spent $600 on pipes and metal and we’re getting ready to start bending the first hoop. More on that in a new post.